A Weekend in the Sky
by John Fiala
Summary: Tomoyo and Sakura have drifted apart, and have separate lives. But one day Sakura shows up on Tomoyo's doorstep, forcing her to confront her love for Sakura.


A Weekend in the Sky  
By John C Fiala  
(Revised: Many spelling errors fixed.)  
  
Friday night, and it was snowing in Sapporo. There wasn't a   
lot of wind, but the snow fell in thick flakes that quickly built up   
into drifts. Daidouji Tomoko didn't envy the pedestrians that she   
passed as she drove home to her apartment.  
  
She could have a chauffer like her mother, but she liked   
driving around and the few times she needed to work on something while   
traveling the car's AI could handle the work. But tonight she drove,   
hoping that the work would distract her from what would be waiting at   
the apartment when she got home. Or rather, what wouldn't be.  
  
It wasn't working.  
  
She made the right-hand turn into the apartment building's   
private garage area, the door's systems recognizing her car and letting   
her in. After that she let the car park itself and took the lift up to   
her apartment on the top floor. It was more of a penthouse, as Sumire   
had said, but she liked to think of it as an apartment. She had no   
desire to grow old in a cavernous vault like her mother was, no matter   
how nice the vault may be.  
  
Entering her apartment, she stopped and listened to the   
silence. There was a note on the wall, but a quick glance showed that   
it wouldn't say any more than the other notes had: Tomoyo was very   
nice, but never fully committed to the relationship, always seemed   
apart when they should have been closer. She crumpled the note in her   
hand, and then just let it drop to the floor.   
  
  
  
Tomoyo jumped when the intercom signaled, playing the notes   
to a classical symphony that she had forgotten the name of. Overcome   
with the thought that Sumire may have returned, she had to steady her   
voice before she could tell the apartment to show the visitor.  
  
Li Sakura's face filled the screen. Tomoyo's heart took off   
as she saw her friend's face, so long only seen in flat photographs.   
But then she noticed that Sakura's eyes were red and teary, and that   
her friend was sniffling.   
  
"Open voice and video."  
  
"Tomoyo! Uh, Daidouji-san. Um..."  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "You can still call me Tomoyo, if I can call   
you Sakura."  
Sakura gave her a tear-stained smile. "I... can I come in?"  
  
"Yes, yes, certainly." She walked over to the console and   
pressed the entrance button, connecting herself with one of the lobby   
bioroid guards, Bertrand. "Hello, Bertrand. I have an unexpected   
guest. Could you escort her up to my room? She hasn't been here   
before."  
  
The guard nodded, his face in 'helpful' mode. "Certainly,   
ma'am. And may I say, both Ernest and myself are again grateful for   
the Christmas gift."  
  
Tomoyo grinned. "No problem," and cut the link. Bioroids   
were technically property of the building, but most of them were just   
as much people as herself, and she saw no reason not to treat them   
like people.  
  
  
  
She hadn't seen Sakura since just before college. They'd just   
taken their finals, and had both done well enough to get into the   
college they wanted. So that night had been a big party, going from   
bar to bar and then ending up at Tomoyo's house.  
  
Sakura had been teasing Tomoyo about how she had never been   
kissed, and Tomoyo had replied that she didn't know how.  
  
Sakura had blinked at her for a moment, letting that sink in,   
and then smiled. "It's easy! Like this!" And then she kissed her.  
  
And Tomoyo had kissed back with all her heart.   
  
Sakura was drunk enough for this not to bother her, and they   
had gone on to several interesting activities that Tomoyo had   
fantasized about before they passed out from the alcohol and the   
exertion.  
  
Unfortunately, Tomoyo awoke with Sakura gone. In several   
confused conversations between her, Syaoran and Sakura it was quickly   
established that Sakura was completely freaked over what had happened,   
and so Tomoyo switched her college to a different one. There were a   
few tries at rekindling the old friendship at the old level, but   
Sakura was uncomfortable, and Tomoyo found it harder than ever to   
keep her distance.  
  
She had gone to Sakura's wedding, but left the reception early.  
  
  
Tomoyo was interrupted in her musing by the elevator arriving   
at her floor, and found to her surprise that she had stepped out of the   
apartment to wait for her friend.  
  
As the doors opened she was shocked at what she heard.  
  
"Get away from me you thing!" Sakura's voice was shrill and   
fearful as she ran out of the elevator towards Tomoyo, who caught the   
woman in her arms. Sakura burst out crying again.  
  
Tomoyo sighed, and breathed a 'sorry' to Bertrand, who gave   
her a sad look back and told the elevator to take him back down.   
Helping Sakura into her apartment, she made a mental note to give him   
a thank you gift. "Sakura, why?"  
  
"They're all, they're all thieves." Sakura said with a   
heaving voice. "She took, she took Syaoran away from me. She's just   
supposed to sit there and be a Secretary, not to be a real person!"   
Her voice raised into a wail, and Tomoyo hugged her old friend,   
trying to give her some comfort.  
  
"Look, you're soaked. Did you run here through the snow?"  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
"Here, get out of these sopping wet clothes and take a shower.   
I'll set out a robe for you, and make some hot chocolate. Then we can   
talk some more."  
  
Sakura sniffled, and nodded. "Okay." She looked left and   
right, confused.  
  
Tomoyo gave a slight giggle. "Oh, right. This way." She led   
her friend through her bedroom, and into the bath. "Here we go. You   
can just drop your clothes into the laundroid."  
  
Sakura had just walked through her large bedroom quietly, but   
now spoke. "Are you married?"  
  
Tomoyo shook her head as she set the shower to a warm   
temperature. "No."  
  
Sakura nodded, and Tomoyo left her to her shower.  
  
  
  
There's something comforting about making hot chocolate, Tomoyo   
always thought. Heating the milk, but making sure it didn't boil,   
mixing the chocolate, and making sure it doesn't clump. It wasn't a   
tea ceremony, but it was enough of something to do that it allowed   
her to get her thoughts in order.  
  
So, when Sakura shuffled out in one of Tomoyo's robes, Tomoyo   
gave her a sunny smile and a mug, and brought her to her couch. A   
moment, and the fireplace started up, a roaring fire warming the room.   
  
"Now, who is this?"  
  
Sakura took a sip of her chocolate milk, and sighed.   
"Syaoran's office bought a bunch of bioroid secretaries two years   
ago. They can't strike, they don't take nine months off to have   
children, and they can legally be told to wear makeup."  
  
Tomoyo nodded. Several companies were doing this, which   
had been leading to a number of people losing their jobs. The   
government was implementing educational programs to get the   
ex-secretaries into new jobs, in fact.   
  
"Well, I think... no, I know that Syaoran is having an   
affair with his. She's stealing him away from me!"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Sakura nodded emphatically. "I found lipstick stains."  
  
"Well, that could be something innocent?" Tomoyo said   
hopefully.  
  
"On his underwear?"  
  
"oh"  
  
Sakura took a long pull of the chocolate.   
  
"What's Syaoran doing at a corporation?"  
  
Sakura sighed, and drank again. "The magic's gone away."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It started ten years ago. Magic stopped working so well.   
It's always been fairly weak in America and Europe, but suddenly   
China, Hong Kong and Japan started to fade as well. Kero said he   
thought this had happened before - that that was the reason that he'd   
been asleep in the book so long." She sighed. "That was before he   
had to sleep again."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Without magic, we had to get normal jobs. He works at a   
corporation, I do some photography. I started out modeling, but I'm   
no longer able to compete with the looks of bioroids grown to look   
glamorous."  
  
Tomoyo nodded. Another strike against bioroids, from Sakura's   
point of view.  
  
"So we settled down to be normal, and things were fine for a   
while. But lately he's been growing away, coming home very late. Not   
wanting, you know, sex."  
  
Tomoyo blushed slightly.  
  
"I didn't want to think... but he is. And she is!"  
  
Tomoyo put down her mug and gave Sakura a hug while she cried,   
and they sat before the fire and Sakura let out all of the pain and   
frustration she was feeling.  
  
Later that night, Tomoyo realized that Sakura had fallen   
asleep. She stood without waking her, shifted her to lay out on the   
couch, and then went to get a blanket for her friend. As she tucked   
Sakura in, the woman rolled over slightly. "Tomoyo, is it okay for me   
to stay here tonight?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
  
  
Tomoyo expected to have a hard time sleeping that night, with   
the focus of so much of her life sleeping in the next room, but found   
that Sakura caused the opposite: The fact that she was not alone in   
the apartment helped her fall asleep quickly.  
  
A sleep that was interrupted by a gentle shake. Her eyes   
opened, and she made out Sakura's shadow against the dim lights from   
the window. "Sakura?"  
  
"Can I sleep with you?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded, not trusting her voice. She tried not to watch   
Sakura as she peeled off her robe and climbed into bed, but caught   
herself watching the reflection in a mirror.  
  
There was a moment of absolute silence. And then Sakura's   
hand touched her shoulder. "Tomoyo, do you still love me?"  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip. "yes" It was barely a whisper.  
  
"I need some love."  
  
Tomoyo almost cried. This wasn't right. Sakura wasn't   
turning to her out of love, but out of need, a reaction to what   
Syaoran had done to her.  
  
But she wasn't made out of stone, and when Sakura's hand   
slid down to cup her right breast, she turned towards her and gave   
her a kiss that contained two decades of pent-up desires.  
  
It went on from there.  
  
  
  
Tomoyo was tempted awake by the smell of bacon frying. Eyes   
open, she tried to remember who could possibly be cooking for her,   
but it came back in a rush when Sakura walked in, holding a bed tray   
piled with breakfast.  
  
"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Sakura was dressed in an old   
Tokyo Giants T-Shirt that she must have found in Tomoyo's dresser,   
and a pair of frayed jeans that Sumire must have left behind. Tomoyo   
suppressed a brief spike of pain at the thought, and then sat up in   
bed to eat. Sakura joined her on the bed, and they shared the plate   
of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.  
  
"Mmmm. That was pretty good, Sakura. When did you learn to   
cook American food?"  
  
Sakura laughed. "College. After a few years I had to wake   
myself up, feed myself, and get to morning classes on time. And Dad   
wasn't able to give me enough money to eat breakfast from restaurants   
every morning."  
  
"Weren't you able to eat in the dorms?"  
  
"Well, yes, but I wasn't supposed to have guys in the dorm,   
and after they caught me with Syaoran for the fourth time," Sakura's   
voice trailed off.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "No, it's okay. It's not *your*   
fault." She busied herself with picking up the breakfast dishes, and   
took the mess back to the kitchen, letting Tomoyo get out of bed and   
ready for the day.  
  
Tomoyo later stepped out of her bedroom, still busy brushing   
her long black hair. She caught Sakura looking at her photographs.   
  
Sakura looked up. "Hey, your mom's still looking pretty good!"  
  
"Oh, yes. She's still living at the old place."  
  
"Who's this with you?" Sakura held up a larger picture.   
  
Tomoyo didn't have to look long. "Oh," she sighed, "that's   
Sumire. She used to live here with me."  
  
Sakura blushed slightly, and looked at the picture. Sumire   
was tall, with dirty brown hair, a cute but pugnacious face, and was   
wearing a pair of muddy overalls over a violet shirt. She was   
leaning against an equally muddy motorbike, and had a friendly arm   
wrapped around Tomoyo, who didn't look like she minded the mud that   
was getting on her clothes. "Where is she?"  
  
Tomoyo sat on the couch, wishing briefly that it would   
swallow her up. "She... she's been in the middle of moving out for   
a few weeks. Yesterday, she finished."  
  
Sakura saw Tomoyo's face, and put the picture back hastily.   
"Oh god, Tomoyo, I'm sorry." She ran over and gave Tomoyo a tight   
hug, burying her face into the girl's neck. "I'm so sorry."  
  
Tomoyo drew in a ragged breath, and then let it out. "It's   
okay. She was with me for eight months, almost."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know," Tomoyo lied. Sumire had told her flat out   
that she was tired of waiting for Tomoyo to stop dividing her love   
between her and Sakura, but she didn't want to say that. "I'm okay."   
  
She wasn't, but Sakura held her until she was better.  
  
  
  
"All right," said Sakura, "this is getting entirely too morose.   
We've got to go and get our minds off of this. What do you think?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded, and thought about it. "How about we go out for   
a walk?"  
  
"In this weather?" Sakura pointed out the window. Although   
the snow had stopped falling, the skies were still dark and snow   
coated the sidewalks.  
  
"I was thinking the National Conservatory. I'm a member in   
good standing, and we'll have the place pretty much to ourselves   
this early in the morning."  
  
Sakura grinned, and grabbed her coat.  
  
  
  
"You weren't kidding about being in good standing!" exclaimed   
Sakura as the two of them walked through the Orchid Room. The   
Conservatory wouldn't actually open for a few more hours, and from   
time to time they encountered people working on the plants.  
  
"Well, my mother keeps giving them a healthy donation every   
year. She loves this place, both personally and for business   
meetings." Tomoyo took a moment to smell the flower she was passing,   
and then continued, "and I plan to follow her example." They walked   
along for a few moments. "So, what have you been up to?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "Well, after college Syaoran and myself   
started traveling through Hong Kong and China, with his skills and   
my magic. We had a number of adventures, until we started to notice   
the magic fading. After that we had to return to Japan and get   
real jobs."  
  
"Must have reassured your father."  
  
"Yeah. Sakura turned backwards to face Tomoyo, walking   
backwards. "Syaoran got a good job at Sony, based on his ability   
with languages. I started to get into modeling, with a hand from   
my brother."  
  
Tomoyo had seen Touya's pictures in various advertisements   
for years. "And then into the photography end of the business?"  
  
"Yeah. I was getting a bit old for modeling after a few   
years, and the pay is a lot more dependable." She smiled. "I just   
remembered everything you did back in high school, and I was fine.   
Even then, you were helping me out."  
  
"So, does it pay well? I thought of running off and doing   
that for a living a few times back when I was in school."  
  
"Pretty good. Quite often I bring home more than Syaoran."  
  
Silence grew after the absent member of the trio was spoken,   
as if he had somehow stepped onto the path with them. The two of   
them continued along silently.  
  
Sakura grew embarrassed, and tried to think of a new topic,   
any new topic. "So, why did you leave us?" She winced, hearing   
the words escape her mouth. Smooth, she chided herself.  
  
"Do you remember the graduation party?" Tomoyo's voice was   
even, as if she was talking about the price of a trinket.  
  
Sakura nodded, blushing. "Uh, yeah."  
  
"After that party, things went back to normal. It was you   
and Syaoran together, and me following behind."  
  
"But, I didn't want to shut you out!" Sakura's eyes   
glimmered with unshed tears.  
  
"It's okay, Sakura. I wanted the two of you together. I'd   
hoped you would find someone. But, I'd been in love with you for   
years."  
  
"I know. I never knew what to do."  
  
Tomoyo nodded, trying to reassure her friend. "After having   
had you, though, I wasn't able to just sit there and watch you two   
together. It was too much. So, I switched schools, and tried to   
forget you." Unsuccessfully, she didn't add. Sakura had had a   
presence in her life even after Tomoyo had tried to leave her behind.  
  
Tomoyo stopped, and remembered Sumire from two weeks ago, the   
girl pleading with her to drop this obsession with Sakura, although   
Sumire hadn't known the girl's name. Sumire had only known that   
there was something that Tomoyo was keeping between them. She had   
demanded that Tomoyo choose between her and Sakura, and when Tomoyo   
had not been able to, had left.  
  
She looked up, and saw Sakura looking at her. Was Sakura   
really willing to live with Tomoyo like this? Or was it just a   
retreat that would end with Tomoyo being left behind again?  
  
Or was the question this: Should Tomoyo try to take Sakura   
away from a husband that at one time had dearly loved her, or should   
she mend what she once helped build?  
  
"Are you okay, Tomoyo?" Sakura looked a little worried.  
  
Tomoyo nodded, and flashed a smile. "Yeah. Just my mind   
wandering." A pause. "Sakura?"  
  
"Mmmm?"  
  
"Do you have any kids?"  
  
Sakura shook her head. "No. We've tried," and here a blush   
again crept across her face, "but Syaoran has a low sperm count."   
The blush intensified, and Tomoyo could feel her own cheeks   
reddening. "I guess that's a good thing, now."  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip. Was it?  
  
  
  
For lunch, they picked up some Chinese takeout, and took it   
back to Tomoyo's apartment. As she drove, Tomoyo kept one eye on the   
sidewalks, looking for a particular face.  
  
A rush of warmth flooded her when she saw it. 'Good boy,' she   
thought to herself as she saw Syaoran trudging along the sidewalk,   
huddled in the warmth of his jacket as he searched the face of each   
person he passed. 'You've come looking for her.'  
  
They stepped into her apartment, and soon had the chicken lo   
mein and pork dumplings spread out. Tomoyo waited until the meal   
was over.  
  
"Sakura, you and Syaoran belong together. I saw that back   
when you two first became close. He used to make you happy, and vice   
versa."  
  
Sakura frowned. "If he wanted to make me happy, he wouldn't   
have started an affair with that... artificial bitch!"  
  
The slur echoed somewhat in the empty apartment.  
  
Tomoyo took a deep breath. "I know. But, he was threatened,   
I think."  
  
"Threatened?" Sakura's voice was doubtful, almost scornful.  
  
"First, he loses his magic, that his family has stressed the   
importance of since he was two. Then he's not even as good at   
supporting a family as you are. And on top of that, he's not even   
as.. potent as he should be. Every step of the way, his masculinity   
is eroded..."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened for a moment. "But it's still his damn   
fault!" she responded, her voice thick with anger.  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Yes, I know. But you've got to understand   
what he's feeling. He's not sleeping with his secretary because he   
doesn't love you. He's doing it because with her he is undisputedly   
in charge, in control." She took her friend's hand in hers. "I'm   
sure he still loves you deeply."  
  
Sakura sighed, torn. "If he does, then where is he?"  
  
The silence after her question was broken by the buzzing of   
the security system. Tomoyo gave her friend's hand a squeeze, and   
ran off to the door, flipping a switch to bring up the visitor's face,   
without revealing her own.  
  
Syaoran stood there, nervously looking around and twisting   
one foot back and forth. Tomoyo let loose a breath that she hadn't   
known she was holding in. "He's here."  
  
Sakura ran over, and looked. "He's..." Her voice trailed   
off. "I don't know what to do. I'm still angry at him, but I..."   
She looked at Tomoyo. "And I don't want to lose you again!"  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "You won't be. But we need to get you both   
together again." She reached for the comm switch, and pressed it.   
"Hello, Syaoran." She let her voice carry a faint rebuke.  
  
The man jumped, and spun to face the screen. "Ah, Tomoyo!   
Is Sakura here?"  
  
"She is."  
  
"I, I need to see her. I need to apologize. I'm an idiot..."  
  
  
  
Tomoyo cut him off. "Come on up, then. Top floor." She   
pressed the door release button.  
  
Syaoran jumped at the sound of the door's buzzer, and jerked   
it open and ran through, quickly leaving the camera's field of   
vision. Tomoyo turned off the console, and turned to see Sakura   
looking apprehensive.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know what to do!"  
  
Tomoyo walked over and gave Sakura a quick hug. "What do you   
want to do?"  
  
"Hit him!"  
  
Tomoyo took a step back and looked at her seriously.   
"Really?"  
"Well, no." Sakura sighed, and then went rigid when a knock   
came on the door. "WhatDoIDo?"  
  
Tomoyo shook her head. "Why don't you go wait in another   
room until you're ready?"  
  
Sakura disappeared into Tomoyo's bedroom, slamming the door   
behind her. But Tomoyo noticed the door swinging slightly open as   
she walked to let Syaoran in.   
  
  
  
Tomoyo opened the door, and smiled at Syaoran. "Good   
evening."  
  
He looked about. "Is the entire floor yours?"  
  
Tomoyo stepped back, holding the door open. "Come on in.   
Yes, it's all mine."  
  
Syaoran stepped in, and looked around. "Where's Sakura?"  
  
"She's waiting. I want to talk to you first. Would you like   
something to drink?"  
  
"A beer?" Syaoran wilted somewhat, and went to sit on the   
couch.  
  
Tomoyo nodded, and went to the kitchen. Returning with a   
beer and a glass of water, she set them down on her glass coffee   
table and sat in a chair facing Syaoran.   
  
For a moment, they just sat there: Tomoyo getting her thoughts   
in order, and Syaoran dreading what would come next.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
Tomoyo's voice was so faint, that at first Syaoran wasn't sure   
he hadn't imagined it. "Yes!"  
  
"Then why?"   
  
Syaoran flinched at Tomoyo's raised voice. "I dunno." He   
looked up from the floor and saw Tomoyo glaring at him, sweet Tomoyo   
who never hurt a fly, and felt fear creeping up his spine.  
  
"Do not give me 'I dunno'," Tomoyo's voice mocked his reply,   
"Syaoran. I want answers."  
  
A few more seconds of Tomoyo's piercing glare, and his eyes   
slid back to the floor. "I'm not a man anymore." A glance upwards   
showed that Tomoyo was expecting slightly more. "I used to be one.   
But now Sakura earns more money than I could hope to bring in, I   
don't have any magic anymore, I can't even give her a son... what   
good am I? I wanted to feel like I was important again."  
  
"And your secretary does that?"  
  
Syaoran felt his skin flush. "She has to do what I tell her.   
I didn't want to hurt anyone..."  
  
Tomoyo sighed. Syaoran would have to be shown that his   
secretary, as artificial as she was, was actually a person - but   
that would have to wait until later. "Why didn't you just tell   
Sakura?"  
  
Syaoran's eyes widened. "Tell her I was having sex with my   
secretary?"  
  
Tomoyo felt a momentary urge to throw her glass at his head.   
"No. About how you felt. About what you needed."  
  
Syaoran looked at the floor again. "I... I couldn't."  
  
"Not manly enough?"  
  
Syaoran's eyes met Tomoyo's in anger, and then in   
resignation. "Yeah." His voice was so soft that Tomoyo was afraid   
it hadn't reached the bedroom, but when she saw the door slowly   
opening further she knew it had.  
  
"She still loves you, Syaoran. But you're really going to   
have to change some things if you want your marriage to work."   
Tomoyo saw Sakura step out, and nod to her. "Are you willing to   
do that?"  
  
Syaoran nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, oh god yes!"  
  
Tomoyo smiled, and pointed over his shoulder. "Sakura's here."  
  
Syaoran turned, freezing for just a second as he saw his wife   
standing across the room from him. He scrambled across the couch and   
ran to her, at the last minute dropping to his knees and hugging her   
around the legs. "Oh god, Darling, I'm so sorry. So sorry... please   
forgive me. I love you." He felt Sakura's hand on his head, and   
looked up, tears blurring his view.  
  
"I love you too. I'm still pretty mad, Li Syaoran, but I   
love you." Sakura pulled her husband onto his feet, and hugged him   
close.  
  
Tomoyo walked up to them, and put a hand on their shoulders.   
"You two have a lot to talk about. Why don't you stay here? There's   
food in the fridge, and by the phone there's a number of take out   
places that I've got an account with."  
  
Sakura blinked. "But what about you?"  
  
Tomoyo grinned. "I've got someplace else I need to go." She   
left them there, and packed a small suitcase. Coming back into the   
foyer, she found them still embracing, and the three shared a blush   
as the couple broke off a kiss. "Listen to me, both of you.   
Anything worth having requires work to get it, and relationships   
aren't any different from anything else. Work at this, for me if not   
for each other, okay?"  
  
"Tomoyo," Sakura whispered, her eyes tearing up.  
  
"Don't cry for me, Sakura. I'll be fine, now." Tomoyo   
kissed her forehead, dropped the extra pair of keys into Syaoran's   
hand, and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
Sumire walked down the hallway to her apartment, the sight of   
the corridor still new enough to her to draw her attention. Her back   
hurt, her legs hurt, and her feet hurt: the Tokyo to Las Angeles   
flight was always a lot of work, and she was glad to get back home.   
She hoped desperately that she'd had the forethought to unpack the   
foot massager that Tomoyo had given her already, because she needed   
it.  
  
Which is why she didn't notice the gift until she arrived at   
her door. There was a single red rose taped to her door, with no note   
attached. She searched the floor briefly, but it didn't seem to have   
fallen off, so she shrugged, took the rose, and then unlocked and   
opened her door.  
  
With a flick of the switch, lights sprung on in her   
apartment's brief hallway, and she gasped softly. Every horizontal   
surface above the floor in her apartment seemed to be covered with   
vases of roses, dozens upon dozens of them crowding the walls. The   
fragrance of the flowers was strong, and then she realized that   
there was a thick carpet of rose petals leading from her door to her   
bedroom.  
  
She slipped off her shoes and stepped on the rose petals,   
feeling the softness caress her aching feet. The door shut behind   
her, she silently went to her bedroom door, pushing it open.  
  
She did not need to turn on any lights here. Her bedroom   
shared the rose bouquets with space cleared for nearly two dozen   
candles, each of them burning and shining light on her small bed.   
On the bed lay her ex-girlfriend Tomoyo, nude except for a layer of   
rose petals providing scant cover. "Tomoyo?"  
  
The woman's eyes opened, although Sumire was sure that she   
had heard when the door had opened.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I treated your horribly because I was still   
infatuated with someone else, and I deserved you walking out on me   
like that. But I want to try again, if you'll have me."  
  
Sumire's eyes narrowed. "And how do I know that you won't be   
mooning after that.. that..."  
  
"Sakura," Tomoyo volunteered.  
  
"That Sakura?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "While you were gone, she came to see me.   
And while she was there with me, all I could think of... was you."  
  
Sumire felt herself smile.  
  
"And since I've given her and her husband use of my house, I   
had to come here, didn't I?"  
  
Sumire sat down next to Tomoyo. "Thank you for the roses."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"All right. I'll give you another chance."  
  
Tomoyo gave a cry of joy, wrapped her arms around Sumire, and   
kissed her. And soon there were many cries of joy, and of love.  
  
Sakura and Syaoran did indeed heal their marriage, although   
she did make sure that all of his future bioroid secretaries were   
male. Tomoyo and Sumire were wed a year later in a small private   
ceremony attended by her aged mother, Sakura, Syaoran, and Sumire's   
older brother. And they all lived very happily, although Sumire   
kept making fun of Tomoyo's habit of taping her all of the time, to   
which Tomoyo only said "I have a lot of tapes that now need to be   
filled... with you."  
  
THE END  
  
  



End file.
